This is a study guide commentary which means that you are
responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in
the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in
interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations
above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original
author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one
and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 127:1-21Unless the Lord builds the house,They labor in vain who build
it;Unless the
Lord guards the city,The watchman keeps awake in
vain.2It is vain for you
to rise up early,To retire late,To eat the bread of painful
labors;For He gives to His beloved
even in his sleep.

The term "house" (Ps. 127:1) and "His beloved" (Ps. 127:2) are
metaphors for the nation of Israel, which developed from YHWH's special promises
to the Patriarchs (both a land and a seed, i.e., Genesis 12:1-3).

Notice the parallel between "unless the
Lord
builds the house". . ."unless the Lord
guards the city." This strophe is built on

g. sleep, Ps. 127:2 - BDB 446, שנא, which occurs
only here in the OT (AB, p. 225, suggests this could be the Syrian or Ethiopian
word for "prosperity," that would fit this context, however, "sleep" also fits
the context well)

127:2 Human efforts without God are
useless, ineffective, and temporary (cf. John 15:5).

There are three
participles and two infinitive constructs that form parallel
phrases.

1. to rise up early

2. to retire late

3. to eat the bread of painful labors

It is interesting that AB (p. 223) sees #3 as a reference to
idolatry and cites (1) Jerome's notes (Juxta Helraeos) as a support and (2) Ps.
106:36,37 and possibly Ps. 139:24, which are from the same basic root (BDB 780 I
and BDB 781). However, the idea of painful labor seems to be a better parallel
to #1 and #2 of strenuous human effort to bring about a desired result.

▣ "His beloved" This refers to Israel
(cf. Deut. 33:12; Ps. 60:5; 108:6; Isa. 5:1; Jer. 11:14; 12:7). Because the MT
and DSS introductions have "Solomon," some scholars have made a connection with
2 Sam. 12:25, where Solomon is called "Jedidiah" (i.e., beloved of
Yah) by Nathan.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: 127:3-53Behold, children
are a gift of the Lord,The fruit of the womb is a
reward.4Like arrows in the
hand of a warrior,So are the children of one's
youth.5How blessed is the
man whose quiver is full of them;They will not be ashamedWhen they speak with their
enemies in the gate.

127:3-5 This strophe at first seems
unrelated to Ps. 127:1-2, but the thrust of the Psalm as a whole is God's active
involvement in the life of the nation of Israel. This Psalm is addressed to the
current king. A nation is only as strong as its family structure.

Healthy children are part of the "blessing" section of both
Lev. 26:9 and Deut. 7:13; 28:4; 30:5. It was a sign of a healthy covenant
relationship with God. Remember He is the One who commanded mankind to be
"fruitful and multiply" (cf. Gen. 2:27-28; 9:1,7).

127:3

NASB, TEV,REB"gift of the Lord"NKJV, NRSV,LXX"heritage from the Lord"NJB"a birthright from Yahweh"JPSOA"a provision of the Lord"

127:5 This line of poetry emphasizes a
strong population (or tribal group) able to defend themselves because of

1. their God

2. their God-given population

It is possible this is a reference to the secure dynasty of the
Davidic King (cf. 2 Samuel 7).

▣ "They shall not be ashamed" In this
context of a dynastic promise to the King, I think "shame" refers to a military
defeat. For "ashamed" see note at Ps. 119:6.

▣ "in the gate" This was the place of
law, commerce, and social activities.

The AB (p. 224) offers another suggestion related to this last
line of poetry. The basic Hebrew phrase can refer to a battle scenario where the
enemy is defeated. The translation would be, "but shall drive back his foes from
the gate."

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide
commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of
the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the
Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a
commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think
through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be
thought provoking, not definitive.

1. To whom is this Psalm addressed?

2. Who is "the beloved" of Ps. 127:2?

3. Define "ashamed" in this context.

4. The last line of the poem must be understood in
light of who is addressed, why?